Sports industry braced for media rights dip, PwC report warns
Sport bosses have warned that media rights are set to fall in value and can no longer be relied upon to drive growth across the industry.
PwC’s Global Sports Survey of more than 500 senior executives found that growth was expected in all streams in the next three to five years, except media rights.
Even industry giants such as the Premier League have seen some media rights contracts decline in value on a per-game basis amid global industry headwinds.
The survey reports that sports organisations must shed a one-size-fits-all approach to media in response to changing consumption habits, especially a split between older and younger fans.
While older fans remain wedded to TV coverage, younger fans favour a wider mix of social media highlights and creator-led and interactive content.
The BBC cited that trend when scrapping magazine show Football Focus last month, while Gary Neville’s The Overlap acquiring YouTuber Mark Goldbridge’s channels illustrates the shift to different platforms.
“The fan ecosystem is fragmenting faster than ever, and that’s creating both pressure and possibility for rights holders,” said Tom Karkeek, a director in PwC’s Sports Practice.
“Younger audiences expect always‑on engagement across social, interactive and creator‑led channels, while older fans remain loyal to live broadcast traditions.
“The next wave of growth will come from organisations that tailor content to each audience segment, not by chasing every platform, but by building coherent, multi‑layered strategies that strengthen reach, relevance and community.”
It comes as the Premier League prepares to launch a streaming service, bypassing traditional broadcasts, in Singapore later this year.
The move is being seen as paving the way for a switch to direct-to-consumer in more territories to insulate against declining media rights values.
PwC survey forecasts wider growth
More broadly, PwC’s survey found optimism among executives that the sports industry would grow by more than seven per cent a year, driven by Asia and North America.
Team and franchise valuations are forecast to increase by around eight per cent a year, while women’s sport is expected to shift from hypergrowth to sustained double-digit expansion.
“Sports markets worldwide are entering a phase of more balanced but still resilient growth,” said David Trunkfield, Global Sports Lead at PwC UK.
“Mature regions are recalibrating after years of rapid media‑driven expansion, while emerging markets are accelerating as investment, demographics and infrastructure begin to align.
“This shift is creating a more diversified global landscape, and the organisations that succeed will be those that adapt their commercial models to local realities while looking outward for scalable, cross‑market opportunities.”